General Assembly

6th plenary meeting
14
December 1989

Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa
The General Assembly
Adopts the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in
Southern Africa, annexed to the present resolution.
ANNEX
Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in
Southern Africa
We, the States Members of the United Nations,
Assembled at the sixteenth special session of the General Assembly, a
special session on apartheid and its destructive consequences in southern
Africa, guided by the fundamental and universal principles enshrined in the
Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
in the context of our efforts to establish peace throughout the world by
ending all conflicts through negotiations, and desirous of making serious
efforts to bring an end to the unacceptable situation prevailing in southern
Africa, which is a result of the policies and practices of apartheid, through
negotiations based on the principle of justice and peace for all:
Reaffirming our conviction, which history confirms, that where colonial
and racial domination or apartheid exist, there can be neither peace nor
justice,
Reiterating, accordingly, that while the apartheid system in South Africa
persists, the peoples of Africa as a whole cannot achieve the fundamental
objectives of justice, human dignity and peace which are both crucial in
themselves and fundamental to the stability and development of the continent,
Recognizing that, with regard to southern Africa, the entire world is
vitally interested that the processes in which that region is involved,
leading to the genuine national independence of Namibia and peace in Angola
and Mozambique, should succeed in the shortest possible time, and equally
recognizing that the world is deeply concerned that destabilization by South
Africa of the countries of the region, whether through direct aggression,
sponsorship of surrogates, economic subversion or other means, is unacceptable
in all its forms and must not occur,
Also recognizing the reality that permanent peace and stability in
southern Africa can only be achieved when the system of apartheid in South
Africa has been eradicated and South Africa has been transformed into a
united, democratic and non-racial country, and therefore reiterating that all
the necessary measures should be adopted now to bring a speedy end to the
apartheid system in the interest of all the people of southern Africa, the
continent and the world at large,
Believing that, as a result of the legitimate struggle of the South
African people for the elimination of apartheid, and of international pressure
against that system, as well as global efforts to resolve regional conflicts,
possibilities exist for further movement towards the resolution of the
problems facing the people of South Africa,
Reaffirming the right of all peoples, including the people of South
Africa, to determine their own destiny and to work out for themselves the
institutions and the system of government under which they will, by general
consent, live and work together to build a harmonious society, and remaining
committed to doing everything possible and necessary to assist the people of
South Africa, in such ways as they may, through their genuine representatives,
determine to achieve this objective,
Making these commitments because we believe that all people are equal and
have equal rights to human dignity and respect, regardless of colour, race,
sex or creed, that all men and women have the right and duty to participate in
their own government, as equal members of society, and that no individual or
group of individuals has any right to govern others without their democratic
consent, and reiterating that the apartheid system violates all these
fundamental and universal principles,
Affirming that apartheid, characterized as a crime against the conscience
and dignity of mankind, is responsible for the death of countless numbers of
people in South Africa, has sought to dehumanize entire peoples and has
imposed a brutal war on the region of southern Africa, which has resulted in
untold loss of life, destruction of property and massive displacement of
innocent men, women and children and which is a scourge and affront to
humanity that must be fought and eradicated in its totality,
Therefore we support and continue to support all those in South Africa
who pursue this noble objective. We believe this to be our duty, carried out
in the interest of all humanity,
While extending this support to those who strive for a non-racial and
democratic society in South Africa, a point on which no compromise is
possible, we have repeatedly expressed our objective of a solution arrived at
by peaceful means; we note that the people of South Africa, and their
liberation movements who felt compelled to take up arms, have also upheld
their preference for this position for many decades and continue to do so,
Welcoming the Declaration of the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Organization of
African Unity on Southern Africa on the question of South Africa, adopted at
Harare on 21 August 1989, and subsequently endorsed by the Heads of State or
Government of Non-Aligned Countries at their Ninth Conference, held at
Belgrade from 4 to 7 September 1989, as a reaffirmation of readiness to
resolve the problems of South Africa through negotiations. The Declaration is
consistent with the positions contained in the Lusaka Manifesto of two decades
ago, in particular regarding the preference of the African people for peaceful
change, and takes into account the changes that have taken place in southern
Africa since then. The Declaration constitutes a new challenge to the Pretoria
regime to join in the noble efforts to end the apartheid system, an objective
to which the United Nations has always been committed,
Noting with appreciation that the Commonwealth Heads of Government, at
their meeting held at Kuala Lumpur from 18 to 24 October 1989, noted with
satisfaction the strong preference for the path of negotiated and peaceful
settlement inherent in the Declaration adopted at Harare on 21 August 1989,
and considered what further steps they might take to advance the prospects for
negotiations,
Also noting with appreciation that the Third Francophone Conference of
Heads of State and Government, held at Dakar from 24 to 26 May 1989, likewise
called for negotiations between Pretoria and representatives of the majority
of the people with a view to the establishment of a democratic and egalitarian
system in South Africa,
Consequently, we shall continue to do everything in our power to increase
support for the legitimate struggle of the South African people, including
maintaining international pressure against the system of apartheid until that
system is ended and South Africa is transformed into a united, democratic and
non-racial country, with justice and security for all its citizens,
In keeping with this solemn resolve, and responding directly to the
wishes of the majority of the people of South Africa, we publicly pledge
ourselves to the positions contained hereunder, convinced that their
implementation will lead to a speedy end of the apartheid system and heralding
the dawn of a new era of peace for all the peoples of Africa, in a continent
finally free from racism, white minority rule and colonial domination,
Declare as follows:
1. A conjuncture of circumstances exists, which, if there is a demonstrable
readiness on the part of the South African regime to engage in negotiations
genuinely and seriously, given the repeated expression of the majority of the
people of South Africa of their long-standing preference to arrive at a
political settlement, could create the possibility to end apartheid through
negotiations.
2. We would therefore encourage the people of South Africa, as part of their
legitimate struggle, to join together to negotiate an end to the apartheid
system and agree on all the measures that are necessary to transform their
country into a non-racial democracy. We support the position held by the
majority of the people of South Africa that these objectives, and not the
amendment or reform of the apartheid system, should be the goals of the
negotiations.
3. We are at one with the people of South Africa that the outcome of such a
process should be a new constitutional order determined by them and based on
the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. We therefore hold the following fundamental principles to be of
importance:
(a) South Africa shall become a united, non-racial and democratic State;
(b) All its people shall enjoy common and equal citizenship and
nationality, regardless of race, colour, sex or creed;
(c) All its people shall have the right to participate in the government
and administration of the country on the basis of universal, equal suffrage,
under a non-racial voters' roll, and by secret ballot, in a united and
non-fragmented South Africa;
(d) All shall have the right to form and join any political party of
their choice, provided that this is not in furtherance of racism;
(e) All shall enjoy universally recognized human rights, freedoms and
civil liberties, protected under an entrenched bill of rights;
(f) South Africa shall have a legal system that will guarantee equality
of all before the law;
(g) South Africa shall have an independent and non-racial judiciary;
(h) There shall be created an economic order that will promote and
advance the well-being of all South Africans;
(i) A democratic South Africa shall respect the rights, sovereignty and
territorial integrity of all countries and pursue a policy of peace,
friendship and mutually beneficial co-operation with all peoples.
4. We believe that acceptance of these fundamental principles could
constitute the basis for an internationally acceptable solution that will
enable South Africa to take its rightful place as an equal partner among the
world community of nations.
A. Climate for negotiations
5. We believe that it is essential that the necessary climate be created for
negotiations. There is an urgent need to respond positively to this
universally acclaimed demand and thus create this climate.
6. Accordingly, the present South African regime should, at the least:
(a) Release all political prisoners and detainees unconditionally and
refrain from imposing any restrictions on them;
(b) Lift all bans and restrictions on all proscribed and restricted
organizations and persons;
(c) Remove all troops from the townships;
(d) End the state of emergency and repeal all legislation, such as the
Internal Security Act, designed to circumscribe political activity;
(e) Cease all political trials and political executions.
7. These measures would help create the necessary climate in which free
political discussion can take place - an essential condition to ensure that
the people themselves participate in the process of remaking their country.
B. Guidelines to the process of negotiations
8. We are of the view that the parties concerned should, in the context of
the necessary climate, negotiate the future of their country and its people in
good faith and in an atmosphere which, by mutual agreement between the
liberation movements and the South African regime, would be free of violence.
The process could commence along the following guidelines:
(a) Agreement on the mechanism for the drawing up of a new constitution,
based on, among others, the principles enunciated above, and the basis for its
adoption;
(b) Agreement on the role to be played by the international community in
ensuring a successful transition to a democratic order;
(c) Agreed transitional arrangements and modalities for the process of
the drawing up and adoption of a new constitution, and for the transition to a
democratic order, including the holding of elections.
C. Programme of action
9. In pursuance of the objectives stated in this Declaration, we hereby
decide:
(a) To remain seized of the issue of a political resolution of the South
African question;
(b) To step up all-round support for the opponents of apartheid and to
campaign internationally in pursuance of this objective;
(c) To use concerted and effective measures, including the full
observance by all countries of the mandatory arms embargo, aimed at applying
pressure to ensure a speedy end to apartheid;
(d) To ensure that the international community does not relax existing
measures aimed at encouraging the South African regime to eradicate apartheid
until there is clear evidence of profound and irreversible changes, bearing in
mind the objectives of this Declaration;
(e) To render all possible assistance to the front-line and neighbouring
States to enable them: to rebuild their economies, which have been adversely
affected by South Africa's acts of aggression and destabilization; to
withstand any further such acts; and to continue to support the peoples of
Namibia and South Africa;
(f) To extend such assistance to the Governments of Angola and
Mozambique as they may request in order to secure peace for their peoples, and
to encourage and support peace initiatives undertaken by the Governments of
Angola and Mozambique aimed at bringing about peace and normalization of life
in their countries;
(g) The new South Africa shall, upon adoption of the new constitution,
participate fully in relevant organs and specialized agencies of the United
Nations.
10. We request the Secretary-General to transmit copies of the present
Declaration to the South African Government and the representatives of the
oppressed people of South Africa and also request the Secretary-General to
prepare a report and submit it to the General Assembly by 1 July 1990 on the
progress made in the implementation of the present Declaration.

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